If there is one thing that has become evident in recent years, it is that heading to play in Germany, and Dortmund in particular, can breathe life into the career of youngsters that have struggled to get a break in England. There have been numerous examples in the past few seasons of talented players heading to ply their trade in the Bundesliga, proving their talent and attracting interest from some of the top teams in the world.
One of the best examples of this success is Jadon Sancho. The Manchester City academy graduate made the huge decision to uproot his life and move to Germany at the age of 17, leaving a team that wouldn’t guarantee him a level of playing time to a side that almost immediately slotted him into their starting lineup.
Through his first season in Germany, Sancho would go on to take 12 appearances for Dortmund, however it was his second season that saw him vault into the spotlight as he would go on to make over 30 league appearances as well as his international debut.
It’s no secret that some of the biggest clubs in English football are contemplating making a move for Sancho with Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham all keen on the midfielder. With that in mind, it seems as though Dortmund have begun looking to bring in the next hot prospect, looking to repeat the same success they have had with Sancho.
Dortmund in for Bellignham?
In line with reports in the papers, Dortmund have been scouting Birmingham City starlet Jude Bellingham. At just 16 years old Bellingham has broken into the Birmingham City side this season, claiming a regular starting spot in their first XI. Playing through the middle of the park Bellingham would not be a Sancho replacement, but simply an extension of what has already proven to be a successful programme.
Some people may question why Bellingham would want to make the move over to Germany while he is already seeing regular playtime in England, a fair enough debate. There are a number of other clubs with a reported interest in the player, with Arsenal and Manchester United both sending scouts to watch the player numerous times. The issue with moving to either of those clubs is one we have seen regularly in the past, though times do seem to be changing slightly, you simply don’t get the playing time.
There have been a number of talented young players that have made a move to one of the big six clubs in the Premier League just to find that they are being loaned out or left to rot in the reserves, meanwhile a number of starlets have made the switch into the Bundesliga and found that their careers have flourished, with Kevin De Bruyne and Serge Gnabry also proving to have benefited from the experience.
It will be interesting to see if Dortmund do decide to make a move for Bellingham, if he moves to one of the top English teams or if he remains with Birmingham for a few more years to come. Make sure to check out our transfer news section for all of the latest updates throughout January and follow us on Twitter for live coverage of the Carabao Cup semi-finals.
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